[OVERVIEW]
* Klefki has a niche in the Ubers metagame thanks to its typing, wide support movepool, and near exclusive access to the ability Prankster.
* Its movepool consists of a variety of useful moves including Spikes, Toxic, Thunder Wave, Fairy Lock and Defog, allowing it to be configured to its team’s needs.
* Its typing allows it to check Yveltal and Xerneas while also granting an immunity to Toxic.
* Unfortunately, its typing also leaves it threatened by the numerous Ground-types in the tier, one of which is Primal Groudon, the most common pokemon in the tier.
* Prankster is blocked by Dark-types, which makes Klefki useless against bulky Dark-types like Arceus-Dark. Luckily, Klefki can beat most Dark-types thanks to its STAB Fairy-type attacks.
* It’s prone to trappers, however it can punish the most common trappers if they attempt to trap it.
* It faces competition from Magearna, who can escape trappers with Volt Switch, and has much higher bulk and offensive presence
* It also faces competition Skarmory and Ferrothorn, two other steel spikers with better bulk, reliable recovery, and a secondary typing that allows them to handle Ground-types and Primal Kyogre respectively. However, neither of them can handle Yveltal or Xerneas reliably.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Play Rough
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Spikes is one of the main selling points of Klefki, allowing it to support it’s team by setting it up. It also punishes any attempt to trap Klefki, as it’s able to set Spikes against any trapper thanks to Prankster.
* Thunder Wave cripples faster pokemon and Speed-boosting sweepers like Xerneas. Prankster allows Klefki cripple them before being taunted/K
* Toxic punishes bulky pokemon that laugh at Klefki’s attacks, including Primal Groudon and support Arceus forms.
* Play Rough is needed so Klefki can threaten Dark-types, since they are immune to Prankster. It also hits Xerneas, Magic Bounce users, and prevents Klefki from being completely useless if it’s Taunted.
* Foul Play punishes physical attackers, notably hitting Necrozma-DM and Mega Gengar harder than any of its other options.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment into HP and Special Defence with a Careful nature maximizes Klefki’s special bulk, helping it check Yveltal and Xerneas.
* Leftovers provide it with much needed recovery.
* Prankster gives +1 priority to all of Klefki’s status moves, allowing it to status faster attackers and taunt users .
Usage Tips
========
* Klefki can cripple faster pokemon before they attack, allowing it to check faster sweepers even at low health. Therefore, it's often advisable to preserve Klefki until all the opposing sweepers are gone.
* Generally speaking, Klefki should attempt status the opposing defogger before setting multiple layers of Spikes, as it makes it easier to punish it whenever it switches in to Defog.
* Klefki should only attack things that are weak to its attacks, as it lacks the power to hit the majority of the tier for meaningful damage
* Klefki can't touch Dark-types if not running Play Rough, as they are immune to Prankster. However, they don't deal meaningful damage to Klefki, letting it layer Spikes
Team Options
========
* Klefki fits best on offensive and bulky offensive teams, due to their ability to abuse the Spikes it sets and
* Klefki has no way to deal with Dark-types if lacking Play Rough, so a teammate that can such as Mega Diancie or Arceus-Fairy is needed.
* Taunt users such as Mewtwo and Yveltal prevent the opponent from removing Klefki’s Spikes with Defog.
* Mega-Gengar appreciates Klefki’s ability to check Yveltal, and Hex variants appreciate Klefki spreading status. In return, it traps bulky pokemon that annoy Klefki, such as support Arceus formes and Primal Groudon.
* Xerneas beats Dark-types and appreciates Spikes support to weaken its checks
* Zygarde-C checks Primal Groudon, Ho-oh, and Necrozma-DM. It appreciates spikes to deal more damage when phazing with Dragon Tail and Klefki's ability to switch into Yveltal and Fairy-types.
* Most offensive pokemon make good partners with Klefki, as they pressure Defog users and like Spikes to weaken their checks. Examples include Mega-Salamence, Deoxys-A, Primal Groudon and Marshadow.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A set consisting Light Screen and Reflect while holding Light Clay can be used as a lead on hyper offence teams. However, it is generally outclassed in this role by Deoxys-S due to its access to Taunt and Stealth Rock.
* Safeguard protects Klefki's team from status for five turns, allowing a teammate to set up on a passive pokemon. However, this can be removed with Defog, alongside of any Spikes Klefki has set.
* Swagger forces switches and increases damage dealt with Foul Play, however running both moves at once requires giving up either Spikes or a status move, which are the main reasons to use Klefki
* Defog allows Klefki to remove hazards for its team, but is counterproductive with Spikes.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-oh can shrug off anything Klefki throws at it thanks to it's typing and Regenerator. It threatens Klefki with Sacred Fire, and can remove any Spikes set with Defog. However, it is annoyed by Toxic.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types are immune to Thunder Wave and hit Klefki super effectively with their STAB thanks to their typing. Primal Groudon resists Play Rough, and can 2HKO whatever Klefki switches into, or use the opportunity to set up. Arceus-Ground can Defog away hazards or boost, shrugging of any damage received with recover. Zygarde-C can boost with Dragon Dance and trap Klefki if running Thousand Waves. Any damage taken or status inflicted on it with Rest. However, most of them hate Toxic. The exception is Zygarced-C with Rest, who can't prevent Klefki from setting Spikes.
**Magic Bounce**: Magic Bounce turns Klefki's support moves against it, forcing it to rely on its weak attacks to accomplish anything. Physically Defensive Mega-Sableye is never 2HKO by any of Klefki's attacks and can recover off any damage. Mega-Diancie outspeeds Klefki and 2HKOs it with Earth Power. However, they're both threatened by Play Rough with hazards set against them. Setting Stealth Rocks against Magic Bounce isn't impossible in Ubers, since all users lose 1v1 to the most common Primal Groudon, the most common Stealth Rock setter
**Bulky Dark-types**: Dark-types are immune to Prankster thanks to their typing. Arceus-Dark remove any Spikes with Defog, or set up Calm Minds, all while healing any damage taken with Recover.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types resist Play Rough and are immune to Toxic, making them practically impervious to Klefki. However, the offensive Steel-types dislike Thunder Wave, while the defensive ones can't prevent Klefki from layering Spikes.
**Trappers**: Klefki loses to every trapper, due to it's pathetic offences. However, the most common trapper Mega Gengar hates being Paralyzed, which can't be prevented thanks to Prankster. The second most common trapper Gothitelle can't stop Klefki from setting three layers of Spikes.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[pooyou123456789q,410276 ]]
- Quality checked by: [[DMDW,434601 ], [, ], [, ]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]
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